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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • kennethabu2006@excite.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: abu george23 <abugeorge23@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <kennethabu2006@excite.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 02:29:23 +0100
Subject: WEMA BANK PLC.



FROM THE DESK OF MR.ABU GEORGEWEMA BANK PLC,LAGOS-NIGERIA.DEAR FRIEND,my, email,kennethabu2006@excite.com
I AM MR. ABU GEORGE, THE MANAGER BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCEDEPARTMENT OF WEMA BANK PLC. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ANDCOOPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT. WE DISCOVEREDAN ABANDONED SUM OF $15,000,000.00 (FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) INAN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HISENTIRE FAMILY OF A WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN IN NOVEMBER 1997 IN A PLANE CRASH.
SINCE WE HEARD OF HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT-OF-KIN TO COME OVER ANDPUT CLAIMS FOR HIS MONEY AS THE HEIR,BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE FUND FROM HISACCOUNT UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE DECEASED ASINDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS NORDISTANT RELATIVES HAVE APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUND. UPON THIS DISCOVERY,I ANDOTHER OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT HAVE AGREED TO MAKE BUSINESS WITH YOU AND RELEASETHE TOTAL AMOUNT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE HEIR OF THE FUND SINCE NO ONE CAME FOR ITOR DISCOVERED HE MAINTAINED ACCOUNT WITH OUR BANK, OTHERWISE THE FUND WILL BERETURNED TO THE BANKS TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND.
WE HAVE AGREED THAT OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL BE AS STATED THUS;30 % FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER,60 % FOR US THE OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT AND10% FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF ALL LOCAL ANDFOREIGN EXPENCES INCURRED BY US AND YOU DURING THE COURSE OF THIS BUSINESS. UPON THESUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS TRANSFER, I AND ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL COME TO YOURCOUNTRY AND MIND OUR SHARE. IT IS FROM OUR 60 % WE INTEND TO IMPORT AGRICULTURALMACHINERIES INTO MY COUNTRY AS A WAY OF RECYCLING THE FUND.
TO COMMENCE THIS TRANSACTION, WE REQUIRE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY INDICATE YOUR INTERESTBY A RETURN E-MAIL AND ENCLOSE YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER, FAX NUMBERFULL NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOUR DESIGNATED BANK COORDINATES TO ENABLE US FILE LETTEROF CLAIM TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS FOR NECESSARY APPROVALS BEFORE THE TRANSFERCAN BE MADE. NOTE ALSO, THIS TRANSACTION MUST BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSEOF IT'S NATURE.I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.REGARDS,MR. ABU GEORGEWEMA BANK PLC.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam